Systems integrator roundtable

MmWave technology and its powerful role in CCTV

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Head of Marketing and Product Management, Siklu

June 2, 2017

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In recent years, there has been incredible growth in the video surveillance market with law enforcement agencies harnessing CCTV to enhance security in problematic areas across cities.

But these projects require connectivity to carry video feeds from multiple deployed cameras distributed over one or more sites, to the control room for viewing and recording and analysis. Because of network congestion and interference issues, it is critical for transmission technology capabilities to improve.

Below, three systems integrators discuss the challenges they face with network CCTV projects and how millimeter wave technology has helped them provide the speed, capacity and connectivity needed for today’s data-heavy security system deployments.

Q: What are some of the challenges inherent in designing and installing video surveillance systems?

Marc Hancock, technical director, Net View SystemsThere is so much noise, as we like to call it, or traffic on traditional wireless networks (sub-6 GHz networks) that interference proves to be quite a common problem. Obviously, that is a significant issue when the wireless network is part of a city’s critical infrastructure, used for its CCTV security.

CCTV security deployments require high reliability and availability in order for the CCTV system to prove truly effective but with traditional wireless networks, there is often not enough bandwidth or reliability to deliver the camera responsiveness required.

Craig Lerman, president and CEO, LTWReliability is paramount when you are working in the public safety space, no matter what the current weather or ambient radio frequency environment is outside. It is critical that wireless network-based surveillance solutions are engineered properly for the environment in which they are operating. In addition, the wireless network components must be resilient, temperature hardened and be designed to operate in the target environment. Public safety networks employ mission critical voice, data and video solutions that cannot lock up or go offline during a storm.

Nick Metcalfe, technical sales, TrellisWorksFive years ago, two megabytes per second (mbps) was enough bandwidth for each camera on a traditional wireless CCTV network. As camera technology has progressed, that number has gone up significantly. Today, each camera requires anywhere from 10 to 32 mbps of bandwidth, due to the high resolution of 1080p HD cameras and the addition of analytics and other tools. When designing an enterprise or town CCTV network, you can very quickly need 100 mbps. Getting that much bandwidth on a traditional 5 GHz wireless network is very difficult.

Find out more about this technology at IFSEC International, 20-22 June 2017, London ExCeL. Siklu, which develops, builds and delivers the “best millimeter wave wireless connectivity radios on the planet”, is exhibiting on stand E750. Get your free badge now.

Q: How is millimeter wave technology affecting your surveillance projects and designs? What is it helping you do that you couldn’t achieve before?

MH, Net View: MmWave has provided huge cost savings, while delivering a better network and higher video resolution to the customer. We began using mmWave to address the interference experienced on traditional wireless networks, particularly with our city CCTV and traffic projects, and also with critical infrastructure customers, such as power companies. The mmWave backhaul links that we are using for security deployments are cost effective for us as a company and for our end users due to the power and speed of mmWave technology. We can install fewer links or hops as a result. For some projects, we also previously had to lease Internet Service Provider (ISP)-controlled fiber lines for customers to get the required reliability, capacity and speed. Because of mmWave’s fiber-like performance, we can use the radios to replace fiber lines, which provides cost reductions and allows us to directly design and control the entire network.

CL, LTW: We have been using millimeter wave for a while now and have deployed many links in our larger city-wide deployments.  We recently deployed millimeter wave radios in our project with the City of Bethlehem, Pa, for the Hoover-Mason Trestle, which is a recreational walking path 40 feet above the ground at an old steel mill that has been converted to an entertainment venue.

Obviously, there was concern for visitor safety due to the height of the walkway and its use at night, so LTW installed millimeter wave radios for increased bandwidth and throughput for the site’s video surveillance system, addressing a lot of the same issues that we mentioned above: bandwidth loads, throughput speeds and reliability and durability in extreme weather conditions.

We have found that millimeter wave is really the most cost effective way to access high capacity throughput. The attractive price with the high performance make it a perfect fit for video surveillance wireless networks. Currently, you can buy millimeter wave radios with five GB/sec throughput, which will soon be 10 GB/sec throughput, which is as fast as fiber.

“Millimeter wave radios have the right form factor, capacity and scalability for the ever-evolving video surveillance systems of today.” Craig Lerman, president and CEO, LTW

NM, TrellisWorks: As the density of deployment in the 5 GHz frequency band increased, we began using mmWave radio links because the mmWave frequency bands can provide much greater throughput for wireless CCTV systems and at a very affordable price. With mmWave, you never run out of bandwidth and you always have the ability to change an uplink or downlink as needed. Interference from other networks is a rare occurrence. In our designs, we often use a combination of mmWave radio links in conjunction with traditional 5 GHz links, depending on the nature of the project.

Now, we are seeing a trend in which many town councils are replacing leased fiber infrastructure with wireless networks that use mmWave radios for their CCTV systems. The speed and bandwidth are nearly the same as fiber, but the cost is significantly less.

Q: Do you expect that adoption of mmWave technology will increase within the physical security industry?

MH, Net View: Many of Net View’s security projects involve traffic light control systems and variable message signs near roadways as part of a city’s CCTV security network. Obviously one can’t trench fiber in all of those locations and even when it is possible, it is costly. Since its prices have decreased significantly in the last few years, mmWave technology has become the best choice when fiber is not an option. It is the underlying network design and topology that makes a security system effective and mmWave is allowing us to provide the powerful network needed for today’s bandwidth-heavy CCTV systems.

CL, LTW: CCTV is being driven by the need for capacity and millimeter wave lends itself perfectly for that application, especially when priced competitively. Millimeter wave radios have the right form factor, capacity and scalability for the ever-evolving video surveillance systems of today. In addition, the millimeter wave frequency band enables high density deployments without the frequency re-use limitations imposed by lower frequency (sub 6 GHz) solutions.

NM, TrellisWorks: As I mentioned, many cities are considering replacing fiber or traditional wireless networks with mmWave technology and in general, the need for higher capacity and more robust wireless CCTV networks is certainly increasing. Through rapid product development, Siklu enables integrators like TrellisWorks to meet our customers’ demands and requirements. In the future, I think we will see more interest from systems integrators in deploying mmWave links because of how effective mmWave is and because it is easy to install.

Ofcom is the UK regulatory body for communications and it requires systems integrators to register all wireless networks and links. Five years ago, there were a few hundred registered mmWave links. Today, there are thousands and that number is only going to continue to grow as technology advances and bandwidth demands increase.

Find out more about this technology at IFSEC International, 20-22 June 2017, London ExCeL. Siklu, which develops, builds and delivers the “best millimeter wave wireless connectivity radios on the planet”, is exhibiting on stand E750. Get your free badge now.

Meet the integrators

LTW: Pine Brook, NJ, United States

Specialty: systems integration for wireless, network, security and energy solutions. Primary focus in public safety deployments, including law enforcement, municipal and state and local government.

Net View Systems: Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Specialty: designing and installing integrated electronic security systems and their infrastructure, including traditional analogue systems and High Definition and IP systems.

TrellisWorks, Ltd.: Thatcham, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Specialty: designing and installing comprehensive network wireless solutions, radio and 4G communications, IT support maintenance, mobile data routing and simulation.

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